One Last Touch
by Uvagirl1317
Summary: I finished the final episode in Life is Strange and while I was more or less okay with the outcome of my final decision, I was a little upset by some of the final scenes after the decision is made. So I decided to do a one-shot of something I think the developers should have put in. Spoilers for those who haven't finished the game and there is mild cursing.


Max took the picture and waited. She waited for the bathroom door to open. She waited for Nathan Prescott to come in and start mumbling to himself. She qaited for Chloe, her best friend, to confront Nathan. She waited for the gun to be drawn and for the bullet to be fired. She squatted on the blue tile floor and rest her head against the wall. The electric blue butterfly drifted back out the window.

She had to relive this moment again. She had to let Chloe die. In order to save thousands, she'd let her best friend die on the bathroom floor in Blackwell academy. This wasn't the first time this happened. In fact, it took Max a few tries to figure out what to do in order to save Chloe that first time. Rewind powers didn't come with instructions after all.

Seconds ticked by. The tears started to build in Max's eyes. Could she really go through this again? Could she listen to Nathan and Chloe argue over money? Could she really not intervene in Chloe's death? She didn't want this to happen again, but Chloe begged Max to set things right. It was hard to distinguish tears from raindrops, but Max knew Chloe was crying. It was difficult to accept such a cruel fate, but Chloe did it graciously and Max could only accept her friend's last request.

Max inhaled and released a shaky breath. Fuck this! She couldn't stop Nathan from killing Chloe, but she'd be damned if she sat here and listen to it again!

Max stood and marched out the bathroom. The halls were mostly empty. Samuel mopped up a puddle down one end. Alyssa and a few other students milled around their multi-colored lockers. Max still had to wait for the showdown, so she picked a spot across the hall. Nathan would overlook her, but she was hoping that Chloe would fail to notice her too.

What a shitty wish.

Max's heart and mind screamed at her to stop this madness. She had all the information she needed. She could still take down Nathan and Mr. Jefferson. She could still save Chloe. But there was that damn butterfly effect. Change one thing in the past and the universe would act apocalyptic. To hell with the emotions and desires of a lonely and sad teenage girl, the universe will have its cake and eat it too.

Max clenched her fist when she spotted Nathan strut down the hall and walk into the girls' restroom. He didn't even check his surroundings. Max admitted to herself that she still had mixed emotions about Nathan. He was the reason Rachel Amber was dead. He was the reason Kate tried to commit suicide. He was the reason Chloe was about to die. Max wanted desperately to hate him, but she couldn't bring herself to fully embrace that hate. He ruined so many lives and yet he was still remorseful. He tried to warn her in a previous timeline. She could still hear his strained voice tell Max that Mr. Jefferson was coming for him. He tried to warn Max. If only she had listened to her phone. Then maybe, she wouldn't have to relive her nightmare again.

The front door opened. Max's face heated up and she allowed one quick peek at Chloe before turning her body away. Damn, she loved that woman. Max could still feel Chloe's lips on hers. They were smooth and tasted like smoke. The kiss bordered on needy. Max didn't want this to happen again. She waited more kisses and more hugs and more laughs and just more time with Chloe.

A sob rocked Max's core when she heard the bathroom door open again. This wasn't fair! This wasn't right! Chloe shouldn't have to die! Not like this. Not alone on a cold floor. Not from an accidental gunshot. Not when she never learned how much David loved her or what happened to Rachel Amber or just how much she meant to Max. What was the point of having this rewind power if the thing Max wanted to prevent the most ended up occurring anyway?

Max squeaked once she heard the gunshot. From outside it sounded like the small pop of a balloon. Her breathing was labored. She wanted to throw up.

The bathroom door slammed open and Nathan ran out towards the front entrance. There was a wild fear in his eyes like that of a caged animal. He disappeared outside. Chloe was alone in there. Chloe was dying in the bathroom, alone.

Max stood and squared her shoulders back. She pushed the pain away for a moment and quickly dialed 911. She told the operator the address of the school and what was happening. Then she hung up the phone and walked towards the bathroom.

She had to let Chloe die. Max accepted that. But she wasn't going to let Chloe die alone. The universe could split in two and swallow everyone up, but Max refused to let Chloe die believing that she wasn't loved and that she wouldn't be missed.

Max pushed the bathroom door open. Chloe lay on her side facing away from Max. There was a red lake of blood in front of her.

"Chloe," Max whispered. Her voice didn't break. She walked around until she was face to face with Chloe. Max could see her friend was trying to gasp for breath. Tears fell down Max's cheeks.

She sat on the floor and grabbed Chloe's hand. The warmth was slowly fading. "Chloe, oh god Chloe. I'm sorry. I'm so, so, so sorry. I didn't want—"

Chloe stared at Max, with wide eyes. Max could see the fear, the anger, the hurt in those crystal blue eyes. Chloe searched Max's face and eventually found her answer. She smiled, with a thin trail of blood flowing out the corner of her mouth. "Max," she said. Her voice was phlegmy. The blood was likely reaching her lungs. "Max, you came. You came back."

Max nodded. "I'm always there for you Chloe." She sobbed again and then said, "I love you. I wanted you to know that before you—before you—" Max's body shook. Why was she letting this happen again?

"I know Max. I…love…" Chloe started to reach up. Max closed her eyes and leaned so Chloe didn't have to try so hard. She waited with bated breath. She needed this last caress. This last touch before she and Chloe were separated again. She waited and waited. But she never felt it. Her eyes popped open. Chloe's eyes were closed, her hand resting on the floor.

"Chloe? Chloe?" Max shook Chloe's shoulder. "Chloe! Please god no. Please Chloe!"

The door opened again. Principal Wells, two uniformed officers and two paramedics crowded the open door. Max paid them no attention. She screamed Chloe's name, willing her friend to wake up, to fight against the pain and wake back up.

* * *

I hope you enjoyed this short piece. I decided to sacrifice Chloe, which was a hard decision to make. But I was pretty satisfied with how DONTNOD wrapped everything up. It wasn't until after going on Tumblr that I realized that Chloe died not knowing just how much love she had in her life. And I just really wanted Max to be there with Chloe so she didn't have to die alone. Hence this story. This is my first time publishing a story, so be gentle with me if you want to comment on it! Thanks for reading!


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